What Does Your Soul Crave?
I read a book called Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus. These are my thoughts (McManus’ quotes are in italics).
It’s hard to define the things inside my heart. I wonder if I’m the only one who feels what I feel and wants what I want. Am I the same as others in this mass of humanity, or am I alone in my experiences?
Maybe you sometimes feel the same way.
In high school, I had a vague notion that when I graduated I would take off for a couple days, go somewhere in the wild, set up a tent, and spend three days with myself. My hope was that at the end of the time, with nothing but myself and some food, I would have a better idea of who I am and what I want, and where to head with my life.
It’s six years later, and I would still like a getaway like that. Even to myself, I’m a mystery.
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Some themes in life are reoccurring. In many different ways, different places and different voices, human desires are articulated.
- Intimacy
- Destiny
- Meaning
It seems that these are integral parts of the human make-up, but why? What makes us long for these things?
Given all the problems love can create, why do we keep longing for it? How many thousands of years will it take for us to learn? How many Romeos and Juliets need to lie dead on the floor before we’re willing to give up this perverse addiction? Oh, I know they weren’t real, but then again, is love? If evolution is our preferred understanding of the human story, why can’t we evolve ourselves out of this primal Achilles’ heel we know as love? And don’t give me this thing about the propagation of the species. Love isn’t necessary for reproduction – just sex is. All you need is attraction, not emotion…If intimacy is only about attraction, we could just keep lust and dispense with love. But it just won’t go away. – Erwin McManus
When I first read this, I stopped and went through it again. And then a third time. Yeah. Why do we crave love? Why do I want to be known so deeply, to know someone and trust them and be trustworthy?
It is not enough for me to be kind of cool, or for me to have had a moment or two of meaningful connection. I want it to go on. I stress over relational disharmony, I crave connection – not just a physical connection, but a deep emotional bond of being known and being wanted.
All of us long to become something more than we are. We are driven to achieve, moved to accomplish, fueled by ambition. It burns hotter in some than in others, but it is within all of us. We’re all searching for our unique purpose, our divine destiny, or simply a sense of significance or some measure of success…all of us are united in our desperate attempt to make a future for ourselves. We all desperately want to achieve something, to accomplish something; we just don’t know what. Worse than that, we don’t even understand why. Yet that doesn’t stop us from searching. – Erwin McManus
It’s true, I think to myself. I do want to achieve. I don’t know what exactly, but something. I don’t want to sit here in anonymity for the rest of my life. But why? I could get by, I’m sure. Why wouldn’t that be enough?
Have you ever thought about this? What drives us to do, to accomplish? Why do we want to make the world a better place – for myself at least, if not for others? Where does our creative urge come from, and why are we not content to be spoon-fed for the rest of our lives?
This may be a jump for some, but Erwin and I both think it has to do with God. Not God who sits in a palace and points his lightning-trident at anyone he catches doing wrong, but God who loves us and created us with purpose and creativity. God who created us with the hope that we would do good and not harm.
Continue reading: Part 2: What’s God got to do with it?
19 Responses to “What Does Your Soul Crave?”
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Media
Crave: The Documentary
What role do our deepest human cravings for intimacy, destiny, and meaning play in our search for God?
>Watch
Do you crave destiny? (Part 2)
Destiny? Is this really me? Was I really born for great things?
>Watch
I think our desire to create something lasting is a sort of analogue of our need to reproduce. Not everyone can have kids–not everyone LIKES kids–but we still have this drive to create something that will last when we’re gone. It’s not entirely rational, but hey, it’s worked. As for love, apes are social animals. We survive better when we’re part of a group, so people who love each other have an advantage.
As I’ve said before, I wasn’t impressed with McManus. The questions he asks are so basic, and he answers them all with God, when they’ve been answered better, more in-depth, and more satisfactorily for hundreds of years now.
So Cat, they have been answered better? I would surley like to hear them. What are they?
I’m gonna have to agree with Cat….His questions are very basic ..(that’s the beauty of it)..and the reason he answers them all with Gd is, Gd is the answer to them all..So perfectly simple we miss it.
Just another comment. Our ability to reproduce is certainly one way leave something lasting but I would hope you would agree that it’s not the only one. Our ability to touch peoples lives in a meanful way, that helps them to become a better person, I think would also qualify as something lasting. If we can encourage people, help them through thier struggles, show compassion in words and deeds. Contribute to making this world a better place, which could take on many forms, these things can leave many significant impressions on our life here. And ultimately showing people what you said ReGenR8 can be our greatest contribution.
Im so sorry! maybe i didn’t make myself clear. When i said that i agreed with Cat, i was not talking about having children, I was agreeing that the message of our basic, God-given longings is a simple one to understand. I dont consider simplicity to be a bad thing. I would never suggest that people have children just to leave something lasting on the planet.
and btw…the nick ReGenR8 was referring to a spiritual condition, as in re-born. I shall re-think using this nick in the future …:-P
You lost me on that last “God” sentence (I’m a proud atheist), but other than that I agree.
Kitty, thanks for your comments. When you say you are a “proud atheist”, what about this particular stance causes you pride? Most would define atheism as being non-religious. So what about religion do you especially dislike? What have your experiences with “organized religion” been like?
Did you happen to check out the follow-up article, “Part 2: What’s God got to do with it?” It continues the thought at the end of this article, and without it, the ending here may indeed seem a bit abrupt.
“This may be a jump for some, but Erwin and I both think it has to do with God. Not God who sits in a palace and points his lightning-trident at anyone he catches doing wrong, but God who loves us and created us with purpose and creativity. God who created us with the hope that we would do good and not harm”
Im as lost with your questions but probably more than you are and Im 44 years old. But I can say God exists no question and He mad Man (Woman) in His image. And look at the creativity in the world. Look closely at a Cheetah or an exotic fish. This is God’s creativity. It’s amazing. Your creativity comes from God.
Hey- FYI– I just got the short film/ teaching series that’s available on DVD on this; it’s called “CRAVE” … really amazing resource. You can get it at bookstores but its on Erwin’s site as well.
hey, we all crave love, but in craving it we give away our power. Because we are love, and if we love ourself, then we do not need to find that love in someone else. yes, we still want company. but we find that company in knowing that i do not need the love of that other and sure as heck we do not want them to suck the love out of us.
be simple, love yourself.
YOU ARE LOVE! The raw material making you is Love. Love is not a feeling, a mood or a habit that you have to develop or cultivate over time. Love is your very nature.* Love is Not an Emotion, It is Your Very Existence!
I am really touched by what Simona said. Wow! Love is a “who” and not a “what”. I love because the very substance of my being is love. I have been born again out of love. I don’t think to love, i cannot but love. Glory to God!!!
You can love yourself, but one day someone loves you because of Jesus- not for selfish reasons -not even any strings attached – but they lay down their life for you anyway and that’s when you know you’ve met the face of…Someone.
I do love myself, but I only learn how to do this from That Person. Otherwise I just sink into self-indulgence – which gets really weird. It’s really not about intellectualizing. And it’s not about lonely self-hatred. It’s about something else…
Most of us think of God as judgmental. It’s so weird. Why? Does that make it true? Is he judgmental? Jesus promises that He is not judgmental and He also promises He’s God. So while being honest with us about His Truth, that truth seems like a lie to us. Why? Anyone willing to fight an unseen Enemy of hatred to get to the truth of Love? Anyone willing look past imperfect human jars of clay to see the perfect Savior within? Why do we have landscapes and cityscapes? Pride puffs up, but love builds up.
No greater love is there than this – that a person lay down their life for friends. I’m sorry but I’m just pathetically arrogant if I try this on my own – but if Someone really isn’t judgmental then maybe they can show me how to do this without arrogance. Is there any way that Someone could make this Easy? Jesus said – my burden is easy, my burden is light.
No one has ever seen God – yet God is revealed in the face of the Selfless Adventurer – the one ready to die to show his friends Their Love.
All of us are too sin-sick to lay down our lives for anyone – yet Jesus showed his love for us this way – while we were still sinners He died for us to give us Life. Do you sin? Has anyone called you Perfect anyway? Jesus does. God does. Do you think you’re sinless? Perfect Blood cleanses sin. …. nobody but Jesus knows your imperfections so well. Yet no one else will call you Perfect more adamantly – and more truthfully. It’s His Perfect Suffering on a cross in our place that allows us the confidence to stop hurting ourselves – to let Him hurt for us instead.
And to be clear – He already hurt for us 2000 years ago on cross. This was so true that He said, “It is finished.” So instead of our pain, we experience His Life. Instead of poverty and abuse, we experience His Riches and Honor. Have you ever thanks Him for the cross? Did you know that He healed everyone who came to him for three years – this included thousands of people. No one ever healed as well as He did – or loved as deeply as He loved. There are stories of His healings throughout the centuries. And today millions experience healing and abundance because of Jesus. Don’t get bitter and wonder – what about me – instead thank Him for what He’s done for your world. That’s what He’s in the middle of doing for you too.
There’s the story of a famous psychiatrist who was asked what advice to give to a person suffering from loneliness, anxiety, or depression. The journalist asking him this thought he would say something professional – go visit a counselor. But his answer was unexpected. He said, “My advice is to put on your coat, and lock your house. Then go across the railroad and help someone who doesn’t have something – that you DO have.” We all need the Presence of someone who cares. Taking the risk to be present to care precedes the ideas and actions of caring. And usually, the Presence makes the biggest difference of it all. We all need the Presence of Jesus – if Jesus is love.
If I live in reaction to the powers of darkness, then the devil has a role in my agenda. And he is not worthy… I can’t afford to let what the devil has done-through me or to me-affect me. I don’t want his fingerprints on my thinking. He is not worthy of setting my agenda. – Bill Johnson
“It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill.” – Elrond, from Lord of the Rings
“I came so that they may Life and Life to the Full.”
“Life and death is in the power of the tongue: so choose Life.”
It is human nature to want to be more than you are and to have meaningful connections and relationships. I do believe that we are love and God put us here to do good not hurt others. The first step to getting this is to love yourself, I think.
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